Kei Campers Are Japan's Answer To An Affordable Life On The Road

For adventurous souls, there is no better feeling than finishing work early on a Friday, throwing your pre-packed bags into your camper, and heading out across trails to spend a long weekend in nature. Campers and RVs enable us to reach the most remote of places in perfect comfort, with mini-kitchens, toilets, showers, and somewhere to sleep onboard. It's no wonder so many in the U.S. opt to either buy or build such a vehicle, but it's not exactly cheap — not for the most part, anyway.

Popular campervans in the U.S. include the Mercedes Sprinter or Ford Transit conversions, but these can easily see purchase costs soar past even the six-figure mark. In other parts of the world, though, folk have found cheaper ways of living the on-road dream, and Japan might have the coolest conversions out there. Over there, motorists are building homes-on-wheels out of kei cars and vans. A kei car is essentially a half-sized vehicle; it can't have an engine larger than 660cc, it mustn't produce more than 64 horsepower, and the mandated dimensions are pretty minuscule, too.

This might seem like an odd choice for a campervan conversion, but space is at a premium in most Japanese urban areas, so a compact footprint is important. You might be amazed at just how clever builders are with the space, too, cramming all the essentials into such a small space like somewhere to cook, somewhere to sleep, showers, and smart storage solutions. The best part? These kei campers are dirt cheap — think less than $20,000 for a ready-to-go camper.

One thing kei campers have to be is clever with the available space. Some sport bench seats, which fold flat into a queen-size bed, in addition to reinforced suspension packages. Not only can these heavier-duty suspension packages handle a full van's worth of camping gear, but also rougher trails, making them ideal for camping setups. AC and diesel heater, plus insulation. Models like the Honda N-Van have dual-sliding doors, which are perfect for letting nature in and airing the camper out — a neat trick, especially for those who spend extended periods of time in the van. It should make cleaning a breeze, too.

One remarkably impressive build is showcased by Tokyo Lens on YouTube. The rented kei camper sports a whole host of camp-friendly amenities, including removable tables, perfect for both indoor and outdoor eating or working, plus powered solar panels, a microwave oven, and a pop-top roof — an essential for being able to actually stand and stretch out in such a camper. The pop-tops also typically have fold-down panels that reveal fine netting, keeping the insects out and letting all the light in.

It also provides sleeping space, thanks to fold-out boards, meaning the 'downstairs' can be kept as a living space, which saves having to transform the internal layout every single day. Vans like these prove that you can have all the essentials required to comfortably camp, without having to shell out for six-figure campervans that are triple the size.